Klaus's reckoning
by Stand with Ward and Queen
Summary: post 2x19 betrayed by the two he trusted most, Klaus is freed by Dahlia who hopes to turn him to her side. As Freya's manipulations are revealed, Klaus realizes he can only trust himself and moves forward with his own plans to save Hope. it is Klaus VS. the world as he fights to save the one person who loves him unconditionally, by himself.
1. Klaus's awakening

**I do not own anything you recognize from the Originals or TVD.**

**I was pissed off at Elijah and Rebekah's stupidity on Monday's episode and this is kind of how it turned out. I don't know how often I'll update, just depends on the schedule of my other stories, the response, and my inspiration. This is my first time writing for this fandom, so please be kind.**

New Orleans, the _Abattoir, _April 11, 2013

11:15 P.M.

It was late at night, the crickets were chirping, the compound was quiet, and the moonlight shone through Elijah's bedroom window as he sat in an arm chair, holding an untouched glass of whiskey in his hands. After they had placed Niklaus in a coffin, Freya and Rebekah had left to Freya's loft to perform the spell that would create the weapon to destroy Dahlia. Elijah was left to his own devices, so he decided to follow Niklaus's example by drinking away his problems.

Try as he might, he could not get the image of the look of heartbreak and betrayal on his brother's face as he desiccated out of his mind. He tried to convince himself that his Hybrid brother was out of control, but he could not help the feeling of guilt that pierced his heart. He had broken the 'always and forever' vow they had made a thousand years ago. And something just seemed…off. For several seconds, he had seen the genuine shock on Klaus's face as he eyed Aiden's body. If this was the best way to handle Dahlia, why was he now filled with such dread?

"Drinking alone nephew?"

Elijah's head whipped towards his doorway to see his wicked aunt standing there with a malicious smirk. Elijah placed his whiskey on the table besides his before standing up and facing his aunt with caution. If his brother and father were no match for her, then he should be especially careful.

"Hope is not here and you will never find her." Elijah told Dahlia firmly.

"I am not here for child of your brother, though it is only a matter of time." Dahlia said confidently.

"Then why have you come here?" Elijah inquired curiously never letting his guard down.

"I wanted to thank you," Dahlia said as she walked into the room, "You and Rebekah did exactly what I wanted you to. Without Niklaus, who is not only the most powerful but the one who will cross the lines you will not in order to stop me, it will be all too easy to take the child. Freya's plan worked in favor as well."

"Freya's plan?" Elijah repeated in confusion.

Dahlia smirked and suddenly Elijah's head was filled with pain. Dahlia and his rom in the compound disappeared and he was in the dungeon where he and his brother had paced their mother. Esther, in Lenore Shaw's body, stood facing Freya and Elijah listened to what his sister was saying.

"…Klaus and I can never be allies. I now know that he will never trust me, so he leaves me no choice. I will have to turn the family against him, one by one. And now I know how to do it."

The pain, along with this image vanished and he was back in his room. Elijah nearly fell to his knees as he understood what this meant. Dahlia, seeing Elijah's stunned, guilty expression, smirked in victory.

"Klaus was right not to trust her all along and you played right into her hands. By trusting a whining, little girl, you betrayed and abandoned your most powerful player. And now he is mine." Dahlia said her voice practically oozing smugness before she seemed to vanish.

With a feeling of dread, Elijah blurred out of his room and towards his brother's. Throwing the door open he saw that the coffin that held Niklaus's body was gone and unleashed a roar of rage and grief.

Unknown location, April 12th

6:01 A.M.

Klaus gasped as he sat up. He looked around noting that he had no idea where he was. On guard, he looked up as someone entered the room he was in and was stunned to see Dahlia enter, carrying a tray of food and smiling at him as though she were truly a caring aunt.

"I think we need to have a chat dear nephew." She commanded in a soft voice.

**So, what are your thoughts? Lease leave any thoughts or comments you may have in a review or PM me. **


	2. Untrustworthy women

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Originals or TVD. **

Unknown location, April 12th

6:03 A.M.

"And why should I listen to anything you say? You, who is trying to take my daughter away from me, you, who killed Aiden and framed me for it? Tell me, dear aunt, why I should listen to anything you have to say?!" Klaus exploded at her in rage.

"Because Niklaus, it was I who freed you after your sibling betrayed you for someone they barely know," Dahlia said seeming unaffected by his outburst as she set the tray of food on a table across the room, "I understand your reservation Niklaus after the life you have led. I am truly sorry for my part in that, but consider this: if it were not for me, you would never have been born."

"Am I supposed to feel grateful for that? Do you expect me to just hand over my daughter to you and never look back?" Klaus asked hardly believing this woman to be this arrogant.

"Of course not, I would never expect the all mighty Klaus to give in to me so easily," Dahlia said smoothly as she walked closer to him yet kept a safe distance between them, "as a peace offering, I have a gift."

Dahlia dug through her pants pocket and pulled something out. As she held it out to him, Klaus just stared at it stunned. It was the golden dagger, created by Kol for self-defense and used by Elijah in treachery; it was the only weapon on earth that could truly be used against him. And Dahlia was just handing it to him, why?

There was a tense moment between aunt and nephew before Klaus reached out one took the dagger by its handle. Dahlia let go as Klaus took the dagger and placed it in his pocket without ever taking his eyes off Dahlia. Dahlia flicked her wrist and a second tray of food floated into the room and floated over to the table and setting itself in front of the seat across from where Dahlia had set Klaus's food. It was at this point that Klaus realized the table was set for two people.

"Shall we eat while we talk Niklaus?" Dahlia said smiling like the perfect hostess.

The _Abattoir_

6:17 A.M.

"What do you mean she has Nik?" Rebekah hissed at her brother furiously.

"She came here last night after the two of you left, drew my attention with a mental illusion of herself while she took Niklaus. I spent the rest of the night searching the city for them." Elijah said sounding exhausted.

"Dalia must be planning to use Klaus's anger to turn him against us." Freya theorized.

"Just as you yourself planned to turn us against Niklaus?" Elijah said with an unreadable expression causing Freya to stiffen and Rebekah to look between her siblings, confusion and shock easily read upon her features.

"Elijah, what are you talking about?" Rebekah asked her noble brother.

"Dahlia showed me a vision of Freya telling our mother that she would turn us against our brother, was this your plan from the beginning Freya?" Elijah demanded.

"No, of course not! This is what Dahlia does; she twists your mind until you believe exactly what she tells you! You must not let her do the same to you Elijah, you must not believe her!" Freya pleaded desperation coloring her entire being.

"I had not yet made up my mind whether to believe her or not. However…your desperation to which you plead me to trust you speaks louder than any violin." Elijah said a coldness entering his voice as he eyed Freya in a new light.

"Elijah, you're not thinking clearly, we mustn't let Dahlia turn us against each other." Rebekah pleaded with her brother only for him to hold up a hand in her direction.

"On the contrary Rebekah, I am thinking more clearly than I have in months," Elijah told her firmly a familiar determined gleam in his eyes, "Yesterday, Niklaus told me that I would never normally trust the words of a girl telling me exactly what I wanted to hear. He was right; my mind was just too clouded for me to listen. This vision that Dahlia has shown me, true or not, has caused to reflect and think upon everything that Freya has done in an entirely different light. While it seems she has been helping us, it is also possible that it has all been a ploy to gain our trust. Aside from her word alone, we have no proof that anything she has said is true."

Rebekah took a step back and glanced over at Freya appearing to think over Elijah's words. Freya eyed all this with dismay and frustration, all her work getting them to trust her was being undone by Dahlia. Rebekah stepped closer to Elijah, seeming to wait for his next move.

"Furthermore, I am no longer certain that Klaus killed Aiden," Elijah continued causing his sisters to look at him stunned, "I saw the true, genuine shock on his face when Jackson brought in Aiden's body and I know when my brother is faking. And he never uttered the words 'I killed him', rather 'so what if I did?' if this is the case, then only one other person could have done this."

"Dahlia." Rebekah gasped.

"She made a brilliant plan so that Niklaus would be defenseless for her to take." Elijah agreed.

"So what now then?" Freya inquired uncertain where she stood with these two.

"Now I am going to search for my brother, you two are free to join me, but I will not hesitate to strike you down if you get in my way." Elijah warned coldly before stalking off.

Dahlia's lair

6:21 A.M.

"Is something wrong with the food Niklaus?" Dahlia as she noticed he had not touched anything.

"Perhaps I am uncertain whether or not it is laced with magical poisons." Klaus said dryly with a sardonic smile.

Dahlia smirked at him before she reached over and swiped a pastry off his plate. She took a large bite out of it and swallowed before looking at him with a smug smile. Still looking unsure, Klaus picked up an apple and took a bite out of, chewing it slowly as if testing for anything dangerous before swallowing.

"Niklaus, if I wanted you out of the way, I would have left you in that coffin." Dahlia assured him.

"Then why have you brought me here?" Klaus demanded frustrated with his confusion.

"I wish to talk to you about your child. Hope I believe her name is?" Dahlia tilted her head to the side as she waited for him to answer.

"Even if I knew where she was, which I don't, I would not tell you under even the most horrendous torture." Klaus told in a low, growling voice.

"I am not here to interrogate you about Hope's location; I am here to propose an arrangement." Dahlia told him.

"What kind of arrangement?" Klaus asked getting ready to attack.

"While it is true, I wish to take Hope with me, an idea occurred to me as I watched you. You are not like the others; you see the world for what it is. You are not blinded by your emotions; you see the truth, like with Freya even though your siblings did not." Dahlia listed off.

"Get to the point." Klaus growled growing angry and impatient.

"I will take your child, and I would like it if you came with me." Dahlia suggested causing Klaus to look at her like she was insane.

"You must be joking. You cannot honestly believe that I would simply align myself with you and head off into the sunset with you." Klaus said his voice full of disbelief.

"Why not? This way you can protect your daughter from any threat while you get to raise the way you want. Free from the judgement of your sibling and the werewolves, you can be with your daughter forever." Dahlia tried to temp him.

"So long as 'however I choose' is to your satisfaction." Klaus realized her plan to temp him.

"And what is your alternative? To place our daughter's life in the hands of a girl you cannot trust and siblings who will not believe in you? A werewolf army that is disloyal to you and believes the worst of you? You cannot trust any of them and you find yourself with that dagger in your heart again if you think you can work with any of them." Dahlia warned him.

"You think I do not know this? I knew from the beginning that the only one I could trust to protect my daughter was myself." Klaus scoffed at her attempts to turn him to her cause.

"But aren't you tired of looking over your shoulder for the next enemy? You are a father now; you must think of your daughter," Dahlia placed Klaus's cell phone on the table and slid it over to him, "I have placed my number in your lists of contacts. I must leave now but, if you wish to contact me, give me a call."

New Orleans

9:45 A.M.

"Elijah, wait! I'm not as fast as I used to be!" Rebekah complained as she and Freya struggled to keep up with the Original.

"I am trying to search for our brother so if you could be so kind as to keep up?" Elijah said sounding both rude and polite.

"Who say he wants to be found?" a voice familiar to the eldest Mikaelsons spoke up eerily.

The three siblings turned to see Dahlia sanding across the deserted street. Dahlia smiled at them in a way that was both kind and threatening. Elijah stepped forward and Freya and Rebekah standing behind him.

"Where is Niklaus?" Elijah growled.

"He is perfectly safe; I left him at my temporary home to think over my offer for an alliance." Dahlia assured them to their shock.

"Nik would never join you." Rebekah hissed in anger.

"I'm sure that Klaus thought the same of you two joining with her," Dahlia gestured to Freya, "over him. Yet there he was a dagger in his heart when I walked into his room last night. Just as he was to blame for Mikael coming to this city, you are to blame for his choice now. Whatever he chooses, you did this by siding with the sibling you barely know against the one you spent a thousand years with."

A cell phone suddenly began ringing and Dahlia dug it out of her pocket. Dahlia smirked in satisfaction as she looked at the screen, like he plan had fallen into place.

"It's your brother, let's put him on speaker shall we?" Dahlia did so without waiting for a response, "hello Niklaus. Have you considered my offer?"

"I have and my opinion has not changed," Klaus's voice said to the relief of his siblings and the rage of Dahlia, "you are not to be trusted. I would be a fool to align myself with you and think you would let me raise my daughter."

"So you are going to choose to trust the siblings who daggered you simply because you disagreed with them. The same thing they got so angry with you for doing to them for a thousand years!?" Dahlia shouted enraged at his refusal to work with her.

"Absolutely not," Klaus said to the shock of all, "I am going to do what I should have been doing from the start: forging ahead with my own plans by myself. There is only one person I can trust to protect my daughter: me! I will defeat you, I will get my revenge, and I will find my daughter, all by myself. Though I must thank you for giving me the golden dagger, it saves me the trouble of stealing it back!"

There was a click and then the buzzing of the dial tone echoed throughout the area. Dahlia snarled in anger and she wiped around, she black hair seeming to swirl around her before she vanished.

Dahlia's lair

10:07 A.M.

Dahlia walked into her home and gasped, stunned by what she saw.

All the acolytes she had left here were dead. Snapped necks, decapitated bodies, open necks, bodiless heads, you name it and Klaus had done it. It was like a scene from those horror films she had come to enjoy so much, only she took no joy from this. Worst of all, painted on the wall in blood were the words '**this is only the beginning**'**.**

Camille O'Connell's apartment

10:15 A.M.

Cami was getting ready for work when she felt a soft breeze from her window being open. However, she froze as she realized that she had closed her window not ten minutes ago. Her heart hammering in her chest, she turned around and was stunned by what she saw: Klaus stood in front of her window, blood staining his pants and hands and a solemn expression on his face.

"Klaus, what happened?" Cami asked concern and worry coloring her voice and shinning in her eyes.

"Well, after you left the compound, Elijah and Rebekah betrayed me to Freya by daggering me," Klaus said as he stepped closer to her, "I was freed by Dahlia who attempted to manipulate me into joining her with false promises of being able to come with her and raise my daughter. Obviously, I rejected her offer and was gone by the time she arrived back."

"So what are you going to do now?" Cami asked curious about his next move.

"I can no longer trust my family; Hayley has foolishly taken my daughter into the bayou and Marcel will obviously be against me now that Dahlia has framed me for Aiden's death. I can only rely on myself to defeat Dahlia." Klaus told her.

"Then why are you here?" Cami asked confused as to why he was at her apartment.

Klaus was silent as he dug through his pocket and pulled something out. Klaus held it out to her and, with a start; she realized that it was the golden dagger. Cami stared at it in shock before looking back up at Klaus's calm gaze.

"You are the only one I can trust anymore Camille and this is the only weapon that can be used against me," Klaus told her earnestly, "I want you to keep it safe from my enemies."

"Are you sure?" Cami asked uncertain.

"So long as you promise not to give it to anyone. Not Elijah, not Marcel, not even Davina." Klaus held the dagger out to her.

"Of course," Cami agreed as she took the dagger from him, "but what will you do now?"

"I will carry out my plans and ride my daughter of Dahlia." Klaus flashed a wicked smirk before blurring out the window.

**So, what do you guys think? Leave any thoughts or comment you may have in a review or PM me. **


	3. Battle strategy

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Originals or the Vampire Diaries.**

**I'm sorry this is short, but like I said when I first started writing this I have no idea where this story is headed ultimately, Though I've got some ideas.**

**Okay, I'm about to go on a rant about the last three episodes of this season. If you don't want to read it, then skip to the non-bolded text. If you do, have at it.**

**Okay, the last three episodes destroyed Elijah and Hayley's characters for me. And I was not a Hayley hater; I actually liked her up until she married Jackson. Then she just became annoying and started prioritizing herself over the Mikaelsons and what was best for Hope. As for Elijah, the writers have done what they started in season one: they ruined his character.**

**Okay, first of all, 'City beneath the sea' really humanized Dahlia for me. In a way, she and Klaus **_**are**_** kindred spirits. They have both been unjustly portrayed as the Villain of the story after being betrayed by their siblings. And I've heard some people try and justify Esther's actions, but she did turn her back on her own sister for the people who abducted them and killed their loved ones. There is no changing that, which just shows Esther's selfishness even before she met Ansel. And Elijah seemed to know that Klaus didn't kill Aiden yet still daggered him. That makes him even more of a Hypocrite than he already is. **

**And Hayley, oh Hayley! I've heard people try and justify her actions, but they are not justifiable. She claims that Klaus's enemies will continue to come for Hope. Oh, but wait, most of them are **_**dead!**_** And those that aren't are separated into three groups: those that aren't much of a threat (like Tyler Lockwood), those who are too scared of Klaus to do anything to his kid, or those who would never harm a child. Hayley, Jackson, and the entire pack deserved what they got.**

**And Elijah and Rebekah were going to let Hayley take Hope away and never go after Hope. This, and knowing what Klaus is like, makes me believe that they never would have undaggered Klaus. They have ragged on him for daggering them when he disagreed with them, yet they have now done the same thing. Any sympathy I once had for them died when they daggered him. And Elijah admitted he didn't dagger Klaus for Hope in the finale, which just enforces my theory. And speaking of the finale can take a step back and talk about the Haylijah scene for a moment? What the hell man? Oh sure, let's pretend that she's not married! And I mean, it's not like Hayley told Jackson she loved him or anything! Right! What, both those things happened! Gasp!**

**Anyway, here's the chapter! Hope you enjoy It! **

_Rousseau's_, April 11th

1:15 P.M.

The Mikaelson sibling stood in the center of the empty bar standing across from Marcel, Davina, and Cami. Rebekah had called them all here once they had arrived back home and they had all agreed to meet at Cami's bar.

"So, Klaus was freed by Dahlia so she could try to turn him to her side, but Klaus, predictably, went rogue." Marcel summarized.

"Basically." Rebekah answered shortly.

"Then there's something you all need to know," Cami said as they all turned to her, "Klaus didn't kill Aiden; he just took the blame on some ego trip about needing people to fear him."

"I had suspected as much and it makes sense," Elijah said as all the pieces fell into place, "Dahlia must have known about the dagger so she killed Aiden so we'd turn against Niklaus. This was all a plan so that we would dagger Klaus and she could take him."

"We took our most powerful player off the board for nothing." Marcel groaned as he realized that Dahlia had played them all for fools.

"So does anyone know where Klaus is now?" Davina asked and was greeted by silence.

New Orleans

1:18 P.M.

Klaus stood overlooking the city he had built with a sense of pride and nostalgia. He had been so proud of this city a century ago, but now he would see it all burn to the ground if it would serve his purpose. The cunning predator waits until they spot their prey to strike and Klaus had just spotted his. With a cold smirk on his face, Klaus blurred in front of his prey and snapped his neck before Josh had a chance to react.

Unspecified location

2:31 P.M.

Josh was having a really terrible day. His entire body was tied up by rope except from his feet to just before his shoulders. He was dangling upside down like a punching bag and, worst of all; Klaus was slowly draining him of his blood and weakening him.

"I take no joy in this Joshua, I hope you know that." Klaus said blankly as he stabbed josh's shoulder and the younger Vampire groaned as he lost more blood.

"And I'm supposed to believe you after you killed Aiden?" Josh asked in a voice that was equal parts broken and bitter.

"I could spend all day trying to convince I did not kill your beloved, but you would never believe me and I would be wasting valuable time." Klaus said in a blank voice.

"What are you doing?" Josh asked as his wounds healed.

"Well by know I've drained you of Vervain, which leaves you susceptible to my compulsion," Klaus said as he leaned down so he could look Josh in the eyes, "now, here's what you're going to do."

_Rousseau's_

3:07 P.M.

The group was discussing tactics when they heard someone walk it. Everyone turned to see Josh walking in looking like a wreck. His eyes were bloodshot, he looked like he hadn't slept or showered, and he was a mess. Everyone's heart went out to him as he sat down in a table near theirs.

"Cami, could you get me a Bourbon on the rocks?" Josh said in a ruff voice thick with pain.

"Sure Josh." Cami smiled at her friend before she went over to the bar and began to make the order as the others went over to Josh's table.

"Josh…" Davina trailed off unsure of what to say to her best friend.

"How you doing buddy?" Marcel asked carefully as the Mikaelsons hung back.

"I started off bad and now I'm worse…and I'm sorry everyone." Josh said thickly as Cami stopped making the Bourbon as they all looked at him confused.

"For what Josh?" Rebekah asked confused.

"For this." Josh said before he sprang into action.

Josh flipped the table over and Davina and Marcel flew out of the way as Josh blurred over to the Mikaelsons. Freya cried out in pain Josh plunged a knife threw her shoulder before withdrawing it and throwing something on the floor. It took a second for Marcel and Elijah to recognize it as a Vervain grenade. Elijah pulled his sisters to safety as Josh got Davina out of their before the grenade went off. It exploded, causing Vervain to fly everywhere and the table to be destroyed, but everyone and everything else was otherwise unharmed.

"What the hell is up with Josh?" Cami asked as she stood up from behind the bar.

"I'm not sure, but I'd bet that Klaus has something to do with it." Marcel growled as he realized Davina and Josh were gone.

"No one would take that bet." Elijah murmured as he realized that Klaus had begun resorting to his own ways.

Davina was thrown to her knees as Josh let her go. She lifted her head about to demand answers from him, but the words died on her lips. The man standing over her wasn't Josh, it was Klaus. She looked over to the side and saw Josh looking at her regretfully.

"Josh…you're working with him?" Davina asked shocked.

"Don't blame him love, I drained him of Vervain so I could compel him," Klaus told her and she turned to him angrily, "ah, wait love. Before you do something you regret, I believe our interests align. For instance, I believe you are now aware that it was Dahlia who killed Aiden, not me. If we work together, I believe we can defeat her."

"How?" Davina asked curiously as she stood up.

"Well, Josh the knife," Klaus held out his hand and Josh tossed Klaus the knife still dripping with Freya's blood, "this knife has Freya's blood on it. Similarly, I had Josh acquire the ashes of Mikael and Norwegian soil. You will bind the items to the knife along with Freya's blood."

"And why should I do this?" Davina asked skeptically.

Klaus smirked at her and turned around before picking up a blue, glass container with something inside. Davina's heart skipped a beat as she realized what that likely was.

"Is that…" Davina trailed off unable to say it.

"Kol's ashes. You do me this kindness, and they yours. And if you think you can betray me, I've thought a head. Josh is compelled to take off his Daylight ring if you betray me." Klaus told her smugly.

"What?!" Davina looked over at Josh as if to beg him to disagree but Josh just looked at her solemnly.

"I do not like it any more than you, but circumstance forced my hand. I am not at fault here, if you wish to blame someone, blame my siblings. Blame Rebekah and Elijah, who forced me into this situation when they betrayed me. Better yet, blame Freya who has caused all this when she turned Elijah and Rebekah against me. All you have to do is cooperate and we all get what we want. I get the weapon to kill my aunt with, you get Kol's ashes, and Josh gets to live. It's all up to you love." Klaus told her with a self-satisfied smirk.

**Sorry it's so short! Please leave a review or PM me! Don't know when I'll update next!**


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